HYDERABAD: Justice (retd) L Nageswara Rao’s order barring 57 clubs from participating in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Apex Council elections has changed the dynamics of the polls in the cricket body.
With the ‘bulk voters’ neutralised by the order; club secretaries feel there is a kind of level-playing field now. On Friday, 173 voters will decide the composition of the new Apex Council which will administer the HCA for the next three years. Elections will be held for six posts – president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary, treasurer, and councillor. There are four panels in the contest but according to sources, no panel will sweep the polls. It is highly likely that the voters may choose people from the different panels. “There are good people scattered in the different panels and group loyalty is no longer a given in the elections. Therefore, we could see a mixed result in this election,” said a former HCA office-bearer.
After the fiasco with former India captain Mohd Azharuddin, the club secretaries are now wary of voting for those who have no experience in the HCA administration.
Three factors could determine the fate of the candidates in this election. The voters are likely to pick people who have prior administrative experience in the cricket association. “Getting ‘newcomers’ has proven to be dangerous, and the clubs are unlikely to make the mistake again,” said a club secretary.
The second factor in consideration is capability of the candidate in handling the various issues of the HCA and finally the rampant corruption in the administration is also going to be a key factor in the election. “The club secretaries are fed up with the mismanagement of the HCA money. A realisation has dawned on most of them that it is time to clean up the stable and ensure transparency in the administration and selection of state teams. The secretaries are also keen on streamlining the league system and ensuring quality cricket,” said another secretary.
However, with money and external influence likely to play a role in the elections, it remains to be seen if the voters will be swayed by them or will they vote for a better tomorrow.
The contestants:
President: A Jagan Mohan Rao, Amarnath, Dr K Anil Kumar, PL Srinivas.
Election date: October 20, 2023
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal.
Eligible voters: 173
QUOTES
We have people with sufficient administrative experience in our panel. Most of the contestants have played the game at some level and have also served HCA in various capacities over the years. - R Devaraj, contesting for secretary’s post.
We are keen on eradicating corrupt practices and cleaning up cricket in the HCA. We will not tolerate any corrupt practices and will provide a clean and transparent administration. - A Jagan Mohan Rao, contesting as president.
We will work on restoring the glory of cricket in Hyderabad and also developing infrastructure in the districts is our aim. We want to identify and nurture talent in the rural areas of the state. - V Agam Rao, contesting as secretary.
For too long cricket has been held captive by multiple club owners. A new dawn is about to begin now. We want to focus on cricket – especially league cricket – and ensuring that cricketers and club secretaries are given their due recognition. - RM Bhaskar Rao, contesting as secretary
